DeWitt roll-your-own Tobacco House held in default in federal suit

A federal court has held the Tobacco House in DeWitt in default because it has not responded to a lawsuit filed in March by the state Attorney General's office.

The AG's office in March charged the Tobacco House and owner Kevin Liu, of Florida, and manager Nen Ying Wang with evading cigarette taxes and manufacturing cigarettes in violation of federal laws. The suit also charged the roll-your-own store with selling cigarettes that did not meet fire-safety standards.

The court clerk entered a default in the case July 30 because neither Liu nor Wang had responded to the suit.

Tobacco House, at 4465 E. Genesee St., opened last October but had already shut down by the time the suit was filed in March.

The attorney general's office said today it has settled lawsuits against two roll-your-own shops in New York City. The two stores agreed to stop their roll-you-own business and pay a combined $15,000 to the state and city.